The Chance

39 || Damage Me

The Cut That Always Bleeds - Conan Gray
𓆩♡𓆪
Alexander

"Alex!"

I barely have time to drop my bag on the floor before my youngest sister is flying at me with open arms. When we collide with each other it almost knocks the wind out of me, "Hey Jas."

It's been almost four months since I've seen my sisters. I left first at the end of July, Jasmine went back to highschool the second week of August, and Eden left a few days after that.

The eight weeks we get to spend together each summer goes by too fast for my liking. I'm glad schools give us breaks, it gives me the chance to see them again.

I won't continue with the sappy big brother shit but it is nice to see them again and know nothing has changed between us.

We've always been close. A shoulder for each of us to lean on.

"Eden, look who's here!" Jasmine joyfully drags me into the living room where I see my other sister cooped up on the couch.

"Hey Alex," Eden tugs the blanket off her lap and stands up to hug me. "I uh–" she's cut off by her own cough. "I thought you'd be home earlier. What happened?"

"Busy airport, had to stall for a bit. It's Thanksgiving Eden." I reason and pull away as she tries to compose herself. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she waves off my brotherly concern. "Just a cough. So? How has everything been for you? School? Hockey?"

The questions start to come at me. I offer up the idea to grab a bite to eat, I haven't had anything since the impromptu hotel breakfast earlier this morning.

We stopped at a diner not far from the house. The questions are still flying in my direction. Sooner or later I answer all of them.

All except one.

"So..." Jasmine dips a fry into her side of ketchup. "Now that we're through the preliminary questions, how about we get into the real juicy stuff, huh?"

I look up from my plate and eye her. "Jas, now's really not the time–"

They both shake their heads at me, "Now's the perfect time." Eden objects. "What's she like?"

I avoid the question with silence and take another bite of my burger. Knowing my sisters, they've already done their digging. "You've stalked her already, shouldn't you know?"

Jasmine snickers at me, "People only post what they want others to see. You happen to see this girl on the daily, I assume, so a little bit of insight would be nice."

I look at them both and realize this interrogation was both inevitable, and by the looks of it, well-awaited for. "She's a nice person, through and through. That's all you two need to know."

"Oh c'mon Alex," Jasmine whines. "You can't just shorthand us. Information satisfies the ears."

"Well then I guess you'll have to be left unsatisfied." I point out and focus back on my plate.

We sit in silence for a moment. Jasmine relinquishes herself back to her food, but Eden, she continues to look at me. Analyze me.

I ignore it and believe she can't read me. But who am I to think that my own sibling can't get a read off me?

Because Eden definitely can. "You know, this isn't like you at all Alex. I was expecting you to be a little more vocal about this whole little crush you've got. But your lips are sealed."

I laugh at her observation. "So?"

"So? I'm starting to think this might be more than a little campus crush Alex." Eden voices her opinion, teasingly. "Tell me I'm wrong."